[ 2014-09-30 ]

BoG boss blows US$350,000 on hotel rent.
The Alliance For Accountable Governance (AFAG) is
stunned at how members of the ruling NDC
government waste state resources at the least
opportunity on issues that usually do not warrant
the use of money from state coffers. The level of
financial misconduct by state officials under the
watch of President John Mahama is distressing and
his decision to deliberately pretend he does not
know of these scandalous activities is gradually
becoming a major concern for Ghanaians and AFAG
believes this trend needs to be addressed
urgently.

A few days ago Ms Lauretta Lamptey, head of
Commission for Human Rights and Administrative
Justice (CHRAJ) was exposed for spending
exorbitant amount of the taxpayer’s money in
providing luxurious personal comfort for her by
residing in a hotel for 37 months, amounting to a
staggering US$203,500. This resulted in a public
uproar and Ghanaians across the world condemned
her behavior on this matter.

In July 2014, it was disclosed that the NPA paid a
monthly rate of US$63,000 as office rent advance
for three years, which sums up to an outstanding
US$2.3M. Despite the public’s chorus of
disapproval and pressure to have the agreement
annulled for a more reasonable deal, the NPA chose
to ignore the cry of taxpayers and insisted it
will see out the rent agreement.

AFAG wonders whether this practice could possibly
be the latest inclination by officials of the NDC
government in blowing state resources under the
pretense of paying for rent or accommodation. This
is because it has now been revealed that the
Governor of Bank of Ghana has also been resident
in a hotel since he began acting as the governor
in June of 2012 and his hotel bills have been
footed from Ghana’s purse.

Dr Henry Kofi Wampah, since 2012 when he assumed
office as the acting governor of Bank of Ghana,
has been residing in a hotel facility at a monthly
cost of US$12,500 which amount to a shocking
US$350,000 from June 2012 to September 2014.
Indeed, it would be fair for Ghanaians to assume
that these revelations are only a tip of the
ice-berg and there could possibly be more damning
misuse and misappropriation of Ghanaian taxes.

AFAG asserts that this trend of residing in hotels
for long duration by government officials and
causing the state financial distress is
distasteful and it puts unnecessary spending on
our limited state resources when there are readily
available accommodation facilities for these
officials. However, AFAG is left dumbfounded as to
why the President who is suppose to be the chief
guard of our state resources is silent on these
matters. AFAG quizzes; is it because he doesn’t
know of these events or he just doesn’t have to
moral right to call these people to order?

AFAG recommends that an investigation is warranted
and this must be reported immediately to the
appropriate authorities for the right course of
action to be taken. Sadly, Dr. Henry Kofi Wampah
earlier in the year introduced certain forex rules
that worsened the Ghana cedi’s performance
against major trading currencies. Dr. Wampah
banned commercial banks and other financial houses
from issuing cheques and cheque books on foreign
exchange accounts (FEA) and foreign currency
accounts (FCA). He also prohibited offshore
foreign deals by resident companies, including
Ghanaian exporters and reduced over-the-counter
withdrawal of foreign currency to a meager
US$10,000. These moves by the governor did not
yield any favorable result in improving the
condition of the ailing cedi and was scrapped in
June this year, less than 3 months of its
introduction.

Ghanaians cannot continue to pay taxes only for
some government appointees and state officials to
be misusing our money at will. AFAG adds its voice
to the growing number of Ghanaians who believe
President is not on top of issues. Government
appointees and state officials cannot continue to
blow state resources in acquiring personal comfort
for themselves while the ordinary tax payers
continue to struggle to make ends meet and H.E
John Mahama looks on unconcerned. This must stop.

AFAG LEADERSHIP

Source - AFAG Ghana

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